Cherry Relish for the 4th

I live a minute outside Philadelphia, so there is always something great going on to celebrate the birth of America on the 4th of July. From a neighborhood 5K, to bicycle parades for young children, there is a lot to do in the “City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection.”

I don’t think I am the only one who has noticed, BUT, this year, the Fourth of July falls on a Monday. And Monday is always “Meatless Monday.” It’s that day where I am always hopeful that carnivores will jump on the plant-strong bandwagon. And, I am hoping that my neighbor’s cookout has a new look to it this year. In my head, I see lots and lots of plant-strong dishes, but, the reality is that I will arrive with a huge basket that is packed to the brim with lots of my favorite Engine 2 products. I’ve learned over the years that it is best to over-pack E2 foods, because once people try an E2 burger (Italian Fennel is my fave), they will stop in their chewing tracks to say, “This is really good!”

What to Take to the Neighbor’s BBQ

Easy-peasy.

Roasted Potato Quarters: dip in some homemade ketchup. Everyone will be circling the plate.

Roasted Corn on the Cob: good hot or cold. So delicious, it needs no extra condiments.

Tortilla Chips: cut and bake some of the E2 tortillas into strips. Serve with homemade salsa.

Engine 2 Italian Fennel Burgers: these are my favorite. Serve on a roll. Forget to buy the rolls? Use a cookie cutter to make “bread rounds” from your favorite whole grain bread. NOTE: save the crust for making bread crumbs!)

And, how about a quick cherry relish to garnish those delicious Italian Fennel burgers?

Cherry Relish Recipe

These delicious burgers get an added beat when you slather on some homemade cherry relish. You can put this relish together in a few minutes using a high-speed blender. Plus, they’ll add some “red” to your meal.

Ingredients

2 cups of fresh (pitted) or frozen cherries

1 cup of cilantro, “rough chop”

2 cloves of garlic

6 green onions, chopped

1 t of hot sauce

Put all ingredients into a high-speed blender. Using the tamper, press ingredients as the blades turn. Stop blending when the texture is like a relish. It should not be pureed, but rather have some chunks present. Use it to spread on burgers, or use with tortilla chips.

Burger Talk

Please don’t think that I am being a tad nepotistic here. But just last week, Well + Good said these Italian Fennel Burgers were in their TOP FIVE of favorite veggie burgers. They are THAT good!

Happy Fourth of July

Live it up with some E2 veggie burgers, some carrot dogs and a plethora of delicious, plant-strong food. Who knows, Rip might just drop-in for a bite to eat and convert others to the plant-strong way of living. Because, after all, it is “Meatless Monday.”

Happy Birthday, USA, from everyone at Engine 2. Uncle Sam, we want you to become plant-strong!